Driver Question: What Would Happen If...

Typhoon

I was watching another TXG video where Ian was trying 48” driver length with Matt. I was using his stock Ping G400max lst head turned down a degree ( like I do ) with a 48” shaft. Next they tried going to the Cobra F9 head because it was lighter. Not sure how he moved the weights around in the Cobra.

My question is, how would a club react if you took the rear weight out to save weight...or at least use a 10 gram less weight in the rear. I know less forgiving but would that work at all?

Par4QC

Typhoon Maybe it's me, but I've always thought the 'forgiveness' was up front, the face.
More weight rear, higher flight.
More weight front, lower flight. If the weight is front and high, much lower flight; knuckleballs come into play at 'normal' AoA.

Rickochet

Typhoon My question is, how would a club react if you took the rear weight out to save weight...or at least use a 10 gram less weight in the rear. I know less forgiving but would that work at all?

I have been doing that most of the summer. I have had good success with light and long 175 gram heads at 48" with lightweight flexable shafts. I have a Great Big Bertha Epic head with the rear slider weight. I played it with several different shafts and tried a heavier rear weight. I started hitting my other light weight drivers well and just for grins I weighed the GBB head without the weight and it was 175g. I then took the Diamana 40g A flex shaft that came with it that was too soft at shorter length and heavier head weight and lengthened it to play at 48". I have played it most of the summer and it works great for me.

DC300

Typhoon It would work fine. The weights are not structurally integral, though the sound may change a bit. The CG will change so be aware it won’t feel the same and yes the forgiveness may be compromised slightly. Shaft should feel slightly more firm.

Par4QC

Typhoon My question is, how would a club react if you took the rear weight out to save weight...or at least use a 10 gram less weight in the rear. I know less forgiving but would that work at all?

Got some warm weather coming up, so I'll try this. My F9 head weighs 206, with 6g. front & 14g. rear. I'll switch them. Haven't done any experimenting with the weights in any adjustable heads I've had. I'm 99% dead center hits with this set up now, so I'll see if that changes any also.

rsvman2

Not to mention that most people hit a slightly heavier head better and get more distance because they make better contact.
Doesn't apply to beasts like you, though.

bad9

Rickochet Sounds like a refinement of what Bernie Baymiller used to espouse in the old Shoptalk days.

Typhoon

Par4QC Got some warm weather coming up, so I'll try this. My F9 head weighs 206, with 6g. front & 14g. rear. I'll switch them. Haven't done any experimenting with the weights in any adjustable heads I've had. I'm 99% dead center hits with this set up now, so I'll see if that changes any also.

I’ve done that before with an F9 and it brings down launch and spin but there are no increases to ball speed or club head speed. The head is gonna weigh the same. Ricks reply was more like what I was wondering. And I was really just looking at the LD set up I have. The Paderson is a bit on the soft side so I’d be losing 12 grams off the head weight which would stiffen up the shaft a bit.

So Rickochet, did your ball flight come down without the rear sliding weight and how was the accuracy? More weight up near the face I think takes off spin and forgiveness.

colej

Typhoon

Nevermind. Scrolled down and see that Rick responded

ode

Only one way to find out!

Rickochet

Typhoon So Rickochet, did your ball flight come down without the rear sliding weight and how was the accuracy? More weight up near the face I think takes off spin and forgiveness.

My set up is for the old geezers looking for more distance ala FGI's Longstick's recommendations. My Epic is the 13.5° dialed up 1.5° and I still hit it pretty low with my high AOA swing. For me this is an easy swinging club and very accurate.

Typhoon

Rickochet

Even with my 9 degree dialed down to 8 I hit it high with the LD set up. In the past I went up a few flexes and down in loft like LD people said... well it never worked for me. This year I went the opposite route. Basically used a playing lofted driver with an LD shaft the same flex as I would use at a normal playing length.

It worked.

So where you had to dial it up, I could stick with my current setting and it would bring it down to where I’d like to see it and see what the results are. Good to see you didn’t lose accuracy...right now I hit it stupidly accurate at this length now. End of the season but I might try it at the range or at least when I get back inside I can compare it.

Rickochet

bad9 Sounds like a refinement of what Bernie Baymiller used to espouse in the old Shoptalk days.

Yep, Bernie started this back when the really light weight heads and shafts weren't available. I jumped in when the 175g heads and 45g shafts became available. Bernie and I chatted quite often. He was a very nice man.

bad9

Rickochet I emailed him quite a bit. Got into Chicago Golf components because of him.

Rickochet

bad9 I emailed him quite a bit. Got into Chicago Golf components because of him.

Bernie also posted quite a bit when the Neufinder group was active. I built an NF2 during that time.

DonM

Typhoon I took all 3 weights out of an F7 driver and built it 48”. The head was fine. Only 180g.

Par4QC

I played the F9 today, with the weights reversed; 14g. forward, 6g rear. Flight was only slightly lower, but seemed to be more distance. I did notice I was hitting lower center than normal also. Not much to take away from all that. I'll do it again tomorrow.

Typhoon

Par4QC

I’ve read that having the heavy weight forward give you more ball speed and a better smash factor...similar to a lower lofted driver. It’s just up to the golfer to have the speed and the proper launch angle with the weight there...looks like you have it, just need to spend sometime getting used to it.